Meant to Not-Be
by Waytoowhatthewhat
Summary: A mistake cost the new girl her secret. Luckily, the only one who found her out was the curious black cat of Paris himself. Shouldn't that be a good thing? He knows how to keep a secret, and he has no idea who this random girl who transformed into Chat Blanc is anyway. Everything should be fine- so why does this new transfer student make Adrien so uneasy? Rated M for language.
1. Getting To Know You

She had no idea she was entering a new world, in more ways than one.

She thought it was just her. Why? She didn't know. In retrospect, it was naive to think there was only her. But Lunette had never spoken about any others. Maybe that's why she hadn't been more careful.

It had been the end of the first week since moving to a different country, and everything- and she did mean everything- was different. The language, sure- but the angle at which the rising sun slipped through her bedroom window and warmed her face in a way it never used to before, the way the city lights and sounds invaded the sanctity of her bedroom at night as she was trying to sleep, the rush of the cool evening air that was totally devoid of the comforting humid twinge of salt from living so close to the beach- it was all reminding her that she was a stranger in her own home.

She felt guilty at her own unease and dismay. Lots of people have to move all the time, she reminded herself. She moved in with her father, she has family to support her. She was lucky. That was her new mantra. Lucky. Lucky to be here. Lucky to get to travel the world. Lucky to have family and an education and a roof over her head and food to eat every day. But she didn't feel lucky. She was miserable, constantly holding back a few tears, and the guilt was there to remind her that she had no business being miserable and she was lucky.

She was avoiding transforming and Lunette knew it. She kept getting sideways glances from her kwami, silent expressions that related entire conversations. _I know you're avoiding it but you can't hold back forever. You're a chosen, a wielder, I can feel it in your gaze how much you want to. Don't hold it back._ And she would stutter back something about needing to prepare for school, or being too tired, or some other lame excuse, but Lunette could see right through them. Lunette had gotten as good as her mother at telling when she was tired and when she wasn't.

Finally she couldn't take it anymore.

It was 10pm on a Sunday evening, her father was already asleep in preparation for an early morning business meeting the next day. She had tried to sleep, really she had. But with the turmoil of the move, she hadn't been taking her meds regularly and her sleep schedule was shot to hell. She was wide _fucking_ awake with nobody to talk to, nothing to do.

"Lunette?"

"Yes, Aurianne?" her Kwami was on YouTube looking at hair tutorials. Aurianne never fully understood why she did that.

"I think…. It's time." That got her attention. She zipped over in a heartbeat.

"you're ready??!" She had a hopeful, excited smile on her face.

"No," Aurianne admitted. "But I don't think the timing will be any better."

"Okay!" Lunette cheerfully agreed. "You'll be fine, just try to familiarize yourself with the city a bit tonight. Baby steps," she said with a firm confidence that never ceased to bewilder Aurianne. She was always so sure everything was going to be okay.

"Okay! Uuh…. Lets sneak outside then I'll transform. I don't have a balcony like back home and I don't wanna get caught as a superhero in dad's kitchen." She and Lunette slipped quietly out the luxury apartment living room, tiptoeing past intimidating, unfamiliar shadows of the new living space. The door slid open noisessly and she slipped her key into her pocket.

Her father's apartment faced a street lined businesses and shops with other similar houses and apartments sitting adjacent to his, so she had to slip around back to the side of the building. The shadows concealed her, she figured. it was time….now or never. She took a deep, shaky breath, in as far as she could go until her lungs were filled to the top with air, and forced it all out as quickly as possible. It was time.

"Lunette…. Ears Up!"

The small white kwami vanished in a whirlpool that was absorbed by a round hair pin keeping one side of her hair out of her face. A shimmering light engulfed her as white ears appeared from her hair, a mask around her eyes, a white and grey bodysuit in place of her blue tunic, and a belt that hung way past her feet and widened at the end to mimic a fluffy cat tail. Clawed gloves appeared on her hands and she clenched her fingers tightly, enjoying the feeling of the leather between her fingers and the power that flooded her senses for the first time in weeks. She stepped out of the shadows, purring with unbridled satisfaction, and stretched her arms out towards the pale moonlight that illuminated her cheekbones and the tip of her nose as she looked up at the unfamiliar Parisian night sky. This moment, these precious few seconds, were hers alone and hers and completely. They were an island of perfection in her lake of uncertainty. She grinned, wide and pure, and breathed in deeply.

"What the hell!"

She spun faster than she could register what was happening. Standing a few feet away was….. Her.

No, wait, no, that's stupid and impossible. She blinked. Not her. A figure in a costume nearly identical to hers but black. And a guy, by the looks of things. Instead of her long side braid, this person- _Miraculous Wielder?_ \- had short blonde hair that fell in his eyes, which peeked out from behind their golden veil like emeralds, glinting curiously in the moonlight.

She should have run. She should have been scared, _terrified_ , that someone witnessed her transformation- and she was, on the inside- but she was Chat Blanc now. So instead of a signature Aurianne verbal training wreck, what poured from her tongue as effortlessly as water from a faucet was:

"Curiosity killed the cat."

She was all at once impressed at her cool demeanor and panicked at threatening a stranger. _Shit no don't threaten him!_ she felt blood rush to her cheeks and prayed it wasnt noticable. She studied him closely. He didn't look scared, more taken aback- he leaned back a little, hesitant, seemingly debating what his next move would be, however stunned into silence he was at the moment.

"Sorry, I'm not going to hurt you, that came out wrong." she apologized. Her heart was racing and she couldn't think straight. This handsome stranger witnessed her transforming, yet she was focused on not being threatening. _Yeah, that makes SO much sense!_

"I'm not really worried about that, kitty kat." he smirked. "But I am curious…." He leaned in. "I didn't know there were any other miraculous users besides me and Ladybug."

 _Holy shit it's true! A miraculous wielder! And there are more!_ Her heart was racing. She wasn't alone.

"I just moved here, I didn't know you existed either." The cat boy broke out in a big grin. He took a half step backwards, threw his arm out, and presented a sweeping bow.

"In that case, let me be the first to welcome you to Paris!" He exclaimed. He straightened and offered a hand. "Chat Noir, at your service."

 _What a coincidence._

"Chat Blanc." She accepted his hand. He gave hers a light kiss.

 _Goddammit_. This wasn't helping her cool off.

"Looks like we've got a lot in common!" He beamed. He still had her hand, and gave it a subtle tug. "I want to introduce you to Ladybug, cmon!"

"Hold up Chat- uhh, wait, we're both Chat, we'll have to figure that out later- I just got here."

"Hmm. I guess it is kinda late too. Can you meet me tomorrow night at the Eiffel Tower, 8 ish?"

"it would be my purr-leasure, Chat Noir!" his face light up at hearing the cat pun.

"Sweet! I'll see you then! Ladybug will be so excited to meet you!" he started to leave.

"Wait!" She grabbed his arm. "You saw me transform." It was a statement, but she stared into his eyes, trying to be firm, challenging him to disagree. It needed to be said now, or she would never get it out.

"Um…..yes, I did…." He looked away. She recognized his expression as soon as she saw it. Guilt. She knew that feeling well. "I-I didn't mean to. And I have no idea who you are! I mean- what I'm trying to say is, I think-"

She was surprised for some reason that he felt genuinely bad. She released his arm.

"-Just... keep it to yourself, alright? I'm trusting you- not just because I don't have a choice, either- but because I think you understand the stakes." She sighed deeply. It wasn't his fault she hadn't been more careful. She should've looked for a safe spot to transform more carefully.

"I will." Came his solemn reply. "I'm sorry, and….thank you."

"You owe me." She winked. He chuckled.

"Tomorrow night, the Eiffel Tower!" She nodded as he ran off.

Her head was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions as she stood on the rooftops. The view was so different from the one back home. looking down at Paris at night was like seeing the night sky. Bright, twinkling lights peppered the dark landscape and illuminated the people milling about. It was breathtaking. It calmed her. Up here looking down, she was removed from them.

The excitement of having met Chat Noir suddenly intruded on her quiet and still moment. There were more miraculous holders! There was another cat miraculous holder! And he was excited to meet her! Honestly, the thought was unbalancing. She was excited of course to meet him again and to meet this Ladybug miraculous wielder. But there was an underlying layer of trepidation. She didn't know the rules. Yea, she had a year to learn how to use her powers and everything, but she didn't know anything about interacting with others like her.

She sat out on the roof for a long time before making her way back inside and, finally, getting a good night's sleep.

Adrien had a good weekend, but was ready to get back to school and see his friends again. He strode happily back into the classroom and slid in next to Nino.

"Suuup, bro!" Nino greeted him with their handshake.

"Hey Nino!" the teen model grinned, oblivious to his classmates' eyes on him. "New mix tape??"

"Yeah! I took the hook from that new pop song everyone's obsessed with and put it to a different backbeat and some classic rock verses, so I guess it's actually more of a mash up. Here!" Nino handed Adrien his orange headphones. He slipped them on over his fluffy yellow hair and a pop/rock/electro mash up filled his ears, so he didn't hear Madamme Bustier's announcement. Adrien took them off and turned to Nino.

"What'd she say??"

"New student," Nino said. Before he had time to react, a familiar looking girl with a blonde side braid and a blue tunic walked in.

"Pleased to meet you all," she said with a polite wave. "My name is Aurianne."

 _Shit!_


	2. Getting To Know All About You

_Calm down Aurianne!_ She willed herself mentally as she stood in front of her new classmates. She took a breath.

"Pleased to meet you all," she said with what she hoped was an even and calm voice. "My name is Aurianne." She punctuated it with a small wave. _Was that too much?_

"Aurianne just moved here from the United States, is that correct?" Aurianne nodded. Madame Bustier smiled. "We're glad to have you in our class. Why don't you take a seat and we'll get started? Someone can give you notes." Aurianne scanned the seats looking for an empty spot and seeing only ones in the back, she took that one. From across the aisle, a girl with short blonde hair and a bright smile waved vigorously. She smiled and waved back.

… _.Here I am…._ She stared at the backs of the students as she tried to figure out what her classmates would be like based on how they looked from here. _That guy with the headphones looks cool. Maybe I could show him some playlists?_ She needed friends if she didn't want school to be awkward and horrible. _What about blonde ponytail in the front?_ She leaned a little to get a better look at the front row. Was she filing her nails? _So she wants to look good, nothing inherently wrong with that… still, it's weird that she would just do that in class in the front row._ She glanced around again. _I should be taking notes or something._ Madame Bustier was talking about a few distinct pieces of classic French literature. She absentmindedly recorded the information in her notebook, but also made a note to buy copies of the books the teacher was talking about. _I don't know anything about French classic literature…._ She hoped there was a tutor, just in case.

 _The girl across from me looks happy and outgoing._ The short haired blonde was decked out in 4 shades of pink and giggling with a somewhat goth-looking girl with long dark hair next to her. _I appreciate their aesthetic so much._ She turned to keep looking and landed on two girls in the front row. _She has ombre hair and the other one has pigtails._ She wondered briefly if her side braid was boring. _They're smiling and whispering, I guess they're close friends. They seem really nice, I should say hi later._

She sighed to herself and started doodling in the margins of her notes. _I'm so tired, I shouldn't have gone out last night. Did I even take my meds?_ Well that would sure explain a lot. How could she have forgotten them on her first day? _Rookie error Aurianne, rookie error._ She stifled a yawn. She needed coffee. _But you met chat noir._ Her heart skipped a beat. _Why didn't Lunette ever tell me there were more miraculous wielders?_ She had always wondered but never really outright asked. Crime was manageable for a single superhero in her hometown most of the time, helping cops catch the ones that slipped through the cracks or were too dangerous to apprehend for a normal person. It gave her a chance to be something better than she was, to always have some control over her life and her freedom. After all, no matter where she was, crime wasn't just going to stop overnight.

Even in Paris.

When the bell finally rang, everyone got up and grabbed their stuff. Aurianne did the same, hoping she could follow someone else to the next class.

"Adrien, Aurianne, may I speak with you for a moment before you leave?" The teacher waved them to her desk. She barely had a moment to wonder which one was Adrien before a blonde guy waved goodbye to headphones guy and stepped up to the teacher's desk. Aurianne followed suit. "Aurianne, this is Adrien, he is currently my top student in the class. Adrien, if you don't mind, I'd like you to assist miss Aurianne with getting caught up to speed."

"No problem Madame Bustier!" the boy grinned. "Aurianne, I'll be happy to help with anything you need." A bit of relief washed over her.

"Thanks Adrien, I really appreciate it."

"Wonderful. I have to order another copy of the book, so can you two share in the meantime?" Madame Bustier looked at Aurianne for approval, who looked to Adrien for approval, whose shoulders straightened as he seemingly approved of being asked for approval.

"I don't mind at all." He seemed like he genuinely enjoyed helping people. Madame Bustier looked satisfied.

"Great! I'll give you till next Monday to get caught up on the work- we just started a new unit so it shouldn't be too much. Thanks again, Adrien." she smiled her thanks and went back to her grading. Adrien waved Aurianne over.

"C'mon, I'll show you where the next class is." _Thank God! I'm so lost._

"Thanks," she breathed a sigh of relief. "to be honest, I have no idea what I'm doing here." he chuckled.

"Dont worry, its it's super easy and you'll get the hang of it in no time! Why don't you follow me around today? You can get notes and I can show you where everything is."

"That would be great!" she smiled. He gestured for her to follow him.

"So is American school really so different from French school?"

"Umm… sort of? It's hard to tell so far. But everything else definitely is…..and my French is worse than I thought," she admitted even as she continued to hope she wasn't butchering the language.

"I think you're doing great so far." he assured her. "But my English isn't too horrible if you need something."

"Thank you!" _Adrien is super nice. I think we could definitely be friends._ She was starting to feel slightly better about her odds here. Adrien stopped in front of another classroom and held the door open for her.

"Chemistry," he announced with a smile, enjoying his role as host. She stepped inside to see the rest of the class was already sitting and opening their books. Blonde ponytail from the front row of last class was looking at her. _No, glaring is more like it…._ She winced internally. _If looks could kill._ Geez. She hadn't even _spoken_ to her yet. _How can she hate me already?_ If Adrien had noticed, he wasn't giving any indication that he'd seen her glaring. He was talking to orange headphones guy.

"Hey Nino! This is Aurianne, Aurianne this is Nino."

"Sup Aurianne! Nice to meet ya!" Nino stuck a hand out, standing and leaning over the bench. She shook it.

"Nice to meet you too!" She hoped she sounded less nervous to everyone else than she sounded to herself.

"Nino, would you mind if Aurianne sat next to me until she gets her textbooks?" Aurianne was grateful Adrien said that so she didn't have to sit in the back by herself again. Nino opened his mouth to answer but a high pitched voice cut him off from across the room.

" _I_ have a better idea! How about she takes _my_ textbooks and _I'll_ sit next to you, Adrikins?" Aurianne turned to see blonde ponytail smirking and waving her book in the air as if she expected Aurianne to jump up and take it on command.

"Chloe, I have a really good grade in this class, so I think it makes more sense for her to sit next to me." _Her name is Chloe, then. Does she have a thing for Adrien? Cuz that's super obnoxious._ Chloe gave a short, exasperated sigh.

"Whatever, it won't help." She turned back around to the redhead sitting next to her and muttered something under her breath, letting her book slam on the bench. _Did she just call me dumb?_ Aurianne looked around uneasily for everyone else's reactions, but nobody else was saying anything. _Is that normal?_

"Uhm, Adrien? If you want to sit with Chloe, I can get the notes from someone else."

"It's not a big deal, I usually sit with Nino anyhow." He smiled to show he was fine with it. "Chloe's just being Chloe."

"Alright." She still felt weird about it and was pretty Chloe was staring at her again, but she sat next to him anyway. "Thanks, Nino," she smiled.

"So, are you any good at chemistry?" Adrien wondered aloud as he flipped to the right chapter in the book. She slid into the chair beside him.

"I prefer biology, really," she answered as she set up her notebook. "So if you ever need help with that, I can definitely return the favor!"

"Sounds good! You'll be the first one I come to," he chuckled. She looked over his shoulder. _Redox reactions._ Not her best area, but not her worst either. She took a deep breath and tried to focus. It was a little difficult, and she was still mad at herself for forgetting her meds. _Mom normally reminds me to take them._ She shook off the aching homesick feeling as best as she could and copied the formula being presented on the board.

Chemistry did actually interest her a lot, she just had to really think on it hard before everything clicked. She was grateful for the distraction and managed to stay focused on the lecture the entire time. She was able to confidently shut her notebook when the class ended, feeling she had kept up well.

As she packed up her things again, Nino walked up again, this time with ombre hair girl and dark haired pigtails girl. _Pigtails girl looks super nervous_. _Is she shy?_

"Hey guys! Have you met Aurianne?" Adrien smiled.

"Not yet!' Ombre hair girl smiled. "I'm Alya, and I'm officially not the new girl anymore." she gave a good natured chuckle. Aurianne grinned.

"Nice to meet you Alya." Alya smiled.

"This is Marinette." A beat passed. Aurianne nearly missed the subtle movement that was Alya jabbing Marinette in the ribs.

"H-hi Adrien! Nice to meet you, Aurianne!" She said with a big grin. "You're from the US?" The five of then wandered out into the hall to the next class.

"Mhm, the east coast."

"I've never been, but I really want to go!" Alya smiled. "Y'know, Marinette is a designer, I'm sure she wants to go to New York someday."

"You're a designer? That's so cool! I've only been to New York once, but you should definitely go sometime if you get the chance!"

"I'd love to!" Marinette's eyes sparkled as she spoke. "It's a whole new world of inspiration!" Aurianne laughed a little.

"Marinette actually won a design contest not too long ago," Alya mentioned casually. Marinette blushed. "She's brilliant!" _I feel like I know a wing woman when I see one…._

"Wow, that's so impressive! When you're famous, remember me, okay?" Marinette giggled nervously and fidgeted with her purse strap for a moment. _Did she just glance at Adrien? She definitely likes him!_ She looked to see Adrien's response, but he was just smiling obliviously.

"How are you liking Paris so far?" Alya asked. _I can't sleep, I've blown my secret identity, that Chloe chick already hates me for some reason, I miss my mom and the beach and it's only my first day at school_.

"Its really cool!" she forced the words out as sincerely as she could and plastered a fake excited smile on her face to sell the emotion. "I'm still figuring out where everything is, and I'm gonna go see all the sights soon!"

"Oh, take us with you! We can show you all the good places that only the locals know about." Alya gave a confident grin.

"That sounds awesome! Thanks guys!" Aurianne relaxed slightly. _They want to hang out! That's a good sign that I'm not being too weird._ She had a good feeling as they all walked into the next classroom.

"Lunchtime!" Adrien smiled after they'd finished math and history classes. "Hope you're hungry."

"Oh great! Where's the cafeteria?"

"Cafeteria?"

"The lunchroom? What do you call it?"

"We go home for lunch." Aurianne blinked.

"I thought….there was the option to eat at school?"

"Most French schools do have a Canteen, but ours is kinda small so we don't have one."

"Oh." she felt her face flush, embarrassed for not knowing that. She paused, wondering what she would do.

"You can go home for lunch, right? If its it's on the way I can give you a ride."

"Um…. Yeah! Its just….. I think I left my key at home." _Great way to start your first day!_

"Do you want to come home with me for lunch?"

"What? Oh, no, I don't want to impose, seriously I'll be fine I can-"

"Its really not a problem!" he smiled. "I usually eat alone, it'll be nice to have some company."

"A-are you sure? I mean I can always just go somewhere for lunch it's really okay…." _You're talking too much! Just tell him no! But you don't want to be rude either! What is the correct social protocol for this?_

"Consider it a welcome to Paris thing then, if it makes you feel better." he said with a grin, pushing the front doors to the school open. Aurianne gave a small smile and followed him outside, feeling someone's eyes on her as she did. _I really don't want to deal with a confrontation right now, especially if it's Chloe._ She ducked her head down instead and hurried down the school stairs after him.

"So you said you drive?"

"Yeah, the car's already here." He casually strolled up to a waiting limo, opened the door and slid inside. Aurianne blinked incredulously and stood next to the door, peeking in after him.

"Umm…. Am I….allowed in there?"

"Of course!" She cast a dubious glance towards the driver, who didn't even acknowledge anyone had spoken. _What the hell is even happening right now?_ She swallowed nervously as she got in, trying not to touch anything. _He looks so comfortable sitting in a LIMO. He's gotta be rich, right? But why is he in public school?_

"Do you always ride in a limo?" she fiddled nervously with her braid, feeling a bit out of place.

"Heh, yeah," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "My dad's a designer, he's pretty successful, and he makes me ride around in this. It's a bit much, right?"

"Not necessarily! Sorry, I'm just not used to….stuff like this….Its kinda cool though!" _I hope I didn't make him feel bad…. Is that a thing? Making rich people feel bad about their money?_

"I guess, it just get to be kind of annoying after a while."

"Oh….I'm sorry." _Maybe that only happens to NICE rich people?_ "Well hey, everyone in class seems really nice!" she made a valiant attempt to change the topic. "How long have you and Chloe been dating?"

"Oh, we're not dating!" _Does SHE know that?_

"Oh god, I'm sorry I just totally assumed that!"

"Its okay. We've known each other since we were kids, I think sometimes that means Chloe is just super outgoing around me." _Yeah. Outgoing, that's definitely the word I'd use. Not insane!_

The limo pulled up to a gate. Aurianne's jaw dropped. _Holy shit…._ _What have I gotten myself into?_ Adrien got out and opened the door for Aurianne, who hadn't noticed the car had stopped yet.

"Oh! Thanks." she hurried out of the car, following him into the insanely lavish house. _Holy shit!_ _This place is huge! The ceiling is so tall!_ "Um….w-what did you say your dad did for a living again?"

"He's a designer. Gabriel Agreste? Heard of him?"

"Uhm, no, sorry," she apologized. "I don't know if you can tell by my expensive labels-" she paused to sarcastically flaunt her tunic, earning a laugh from Adrien- "but I'm not super familiar with high end brands."

"Dont worry about it." he chuckled. "I-"

"Adrien!" a sudden sharp voice made her wince. Adrien stopped and sighed.

"speak of the devil…." he muttered under his breath. He turned towards an imposing figure standing on the stairwell. _I can feel him glaring at me from here….._

"Adrien, I did not approve any guests for lunch." The man descended the stairs ominously, never letting his stare waver. _This dude could give Bram Stoker a run for his money._

"Father, this is Aurianne. She just moved here from the united states, I'm showing her around the school on her first day."

"Then why is she _here_?" Mr. Agreste stood a few feet away from the high schoolers, making eye contact with only his son. _Dude's talking about me like I'm not in the room._ Distaste dripped from his frame. His low voice carried the tone of an authority figure who expected his words to be heeded whenever he spoke. He fit in perfectly with the ornate mansion, and his posture showed poise and confidence. His shoulders stayed back and his chin stayed up. But despite the upper class attitude, he still creeped her out.

"She got locked out of her house, I offered to let her eat with me." _It's been like ten seconds and I'm already tired of being ignored._ Heh. Tired. Those jokes were always funny to her. She mustered every bit of courage she could find, kept her shoulders back, and stepped in front of Adrien, holding out a hand.

"Aurianne LaRonge. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir, your son has been a huge help and a wonderful host." She gave a pleasantly warm smile. Gabriel raised an eyebrow.

"Miss LaRonge, I would appreciate if you didn't impose on my son, he has a very busy schedule." _So this is how we're gonna do things…_ she put her hand down.

"Father, I _offered_!" an exasperated Adrien sighed.

"Sir, I would never want to impose. Adrien has been a perfect gentleman with his hospitality, you should be very proud."

"I am, naturally." He looked at Adrien, who grinned hopefully. "Very well, she may stay for lunch. But just this once. And only because she's new. Otherwise I expect you to ask next time, understood?"

"Understood, father!" Adrien beamed.

"Thank you sir," Aurianne smiled. Gabriel just scoffed and retreated back up the stairs. _Bram Stoker's Entitled Upper Class: a Horror Story._

"I haven't seen father bend for anyone in a while," Adrien remarked through a satisfied smirk as he sat at their obscenely long dining table.

"Nah, he didn't bend, i just helped him focus on the positive." she smiled. "Um, sorry I made you stick your neck out for me. I really do appreciate it though!" she nervously sat across from him. _I really hope he won't get in any trouble because of that._

"No, please, usually its just me. Its really lonely, so im glad for the company."

"Workaholic parents?"

"It's just me and my dad, actually."

"Oh." _dammit why did I bring it up!_ Stupid. "Sorry to hear that." she didn't want to press the issue any further.

"It's alright! What about you, how's your family adjusting to Paris?"

"Well, actually my mom's still in the states, I moved in with my dad. He's from here."

"Oh, wow. That's got to be quite the culture shock." He looked genuinely concerned. She felt guilty. She started to speak but yawned. "Tired?"

"Oh, no. I mean yes, but not like that! You weren't boring me or anything! I mean- um, I have narcolepsy…."

"What's that?" She shifted in her seat, slightly uncomfortable. She wasn't sure how he'd react.

"Its a sleep disorder. I have trouble sleeping….and staying awake…. I know its weird, but could you please not tell anybody?"

"It's not weird." he assured with a calm smile. "But I won't tell anyone. You drink a lot of coffee?"

"So much!" she laughed. "I'm basically a barista!" Adrien laughed. Aurianne smiled happily. _He's so nice! He reminds me of my friends back home._ They had always been understanding when it came to her sleep problems. _Not everyone is willing to accept that it really isn't my fault. I don't think Adrien will be like that._

A chef brought two plates of food and the two chatted about American and French pop culture as they ate. Aurianne had a rare moment of feeling at ease as herself and not Chat blanc since she'd moved here. Despite having an insanely strict father, Adrien was chill and fun to talk to. She was beyond happy to have met him, she was certain having a friend like him would help her get through adjusting to Paris.

"Looks like I owe you lunch now!" she declared as she finished her last bite. "I mean it won't be this good, but it'll still be good."

"Looking forward to it! Get some of that exotic American cuisine." Adrien grinned. she laughed.

"Oh my God, American food sucks! Trust me and stick to this!" They laughed as they climbed back into the limo.

The rest of the day passed, blessedly, without incident. She could still feel Chloe's eyes on her as she followed Adrien around, but managed to duck out of the way each time she felt the snarky girl gear up to target her. She even caught Marinette staring once or twice. _I just want to make it through the day so I can go home._ But why? Nothing familiar awaited her there. Not even the man she owed half of her DNA to. _I feel like I barely know him. Oh wait. I don't._ A part of her resented her mom for sending her here. She knew it was done for the right reasons, but everything felt like a puzzle where the pieces were jammed in wrong. You could still sorta see the big picture, but things were in the wrong places so you couldn't exactly tell if you liked it, and now every piece was bent out of shape so it was too late to put things back.

"Dad? I'm home!" She looked around. _The lights are on and the door was unlocked so he's got to be home from work by now._ She dropped her bag on the table and just sort of stood there.

 _This place is so…_ she couldn't put her finger on what exactly bothered her so much about her dad's apartment. By all counts it was nicer and newer than her mom's house, and the complex even had a pool. Her room was a little bigger. Her dad had even set up a desk with a new tablet so she could study. There were floor to ceiling windows on that feature wall over there. If you turned the lights out, on a clear night the lights of the city shone through and sparkled with the Eiffel tower.

 _Mom's place was across the highway from a Walmart._ What was all this for?

She slipped her shoes off before entering the kitchen, not wanting to track dirt onto the white tiles. _Huh, I never did that at home._ Except that wasn't true anymore, because this was her home now and she had just done it. And why was she thinking about mom's house in the past tense? The house and her mother were both still there.

"Aurianne!" Lunette snapped her out of her thoughts, and the tiny white cat was tugging on her sleeve impatiently. "Cmon, I want ice cream!"

"Why can't you eat something else for a change? How am I supposed to explain to dad why I need so much vanilla soft serve?"

"You'll figure it out! Hurry up and finish your homework so we can go get some." Lunette flew down to her hands to examine her fingernails. "Maybe get a manicure while you're at it."

"I'm definitely not getting a manicure."

"Then at least let me braid your hair!"

"What's wrong with the way it's braided now?"

"Don't you want to look cute tonight when you meet Chat Noir and Ladybug tonight?" Aurianne smiled a little thinking about it. She wanted to meet this Ladybug, of course, but the thought of seeing Chat again excited her a little.

"I think my standard braid will suffice, but you can play with my hair while I do my homework if you want." she paused. _Wait a minute!_ "Hey! Why didn't you tell me there were more miraculous wielders?!"

"You never asked."

"That's a cop out and I think you know that."

"I don't have _all_ the answers. I didn't know where they all were, and I didn't want you to go on a wild goose chase looking for them. Besides-" the kwami smirked and flicked her tail the way a real cat would when it felt frisky- "I, and by extension Chat Blanc, am perfect, we didn't need anyone else."

"But now, we do?"

"But now there are _options_." she corrected her wielder.

"Is there anything else you aren't telling me?"

"Not that I can think of right now." She opened her mouth to say something, but just then the front door handle turned. Lunette zipped back into her hiding place in Aurianne's bag.

"...alright, alright, Itll be done next week." her dad walked in, a cell phone in one hand, and a plastic takeout bag in the other. He clicked the phone off and smiled. "Hey! Welcome home Auri!" the plastic rustled uncontrollably as he put the bags on the table. "I didn't have time to cook so I got takeout. You still like Italian, right"

"Uh….yeah!" _it's been so long I don't even remember._ He started taking out boxes of food.

"I have fettuccine alfredo, chicken primavera-"

"Dad, can we speak English at home?" he paused.

"I thought you wanted to get better at your French."

"I do, but…." she searched for the words to explain. He just nodded.

"It's a lot to take in at once. I understand." He said, in English. A small part of her relaxed a little hearing it, even if his thick accent made it sound different. He continued in English. "so, alfredo, primavera, plenty of salad, and ravioli. What do you feel like?" _Sweet tea._

"Hmm, I'll take the primavera. That okay?"

"Of course!" He took the alfredo. "I can take the ravioli for lunch tomorrow."

"Hey, so our school doesn't have a canteen." she slurped her alfredo.

"Really? Did you come home for lunch?"

"No, I left my key in my room," she admitted.

"Where'd you go for lunch then?"

"I went home with a classmate." her dad looked up from his plate.

"You went home with someone you just met?"

"It was just for lunch. I wanted to make friends." He frowned.

"Who was it?"

"His name is Adrien….Agreste?"

"You went home for lunch with a _male model?_ " she felt her face flush. _That….explains a lot, actually._

"I didn't know he was a model! He was showing me around the school, the teachers asked him to let me shadow him today. He was just being nice, okay?"

"Okay, okay. I'm just trying to keep you safe, you're still new and learning the city. Please don't do that again without texting me first, at least.

"Okay….." She wasn't sure what to say. It wasn't an unreasonable request, but she suddenly felt like she'd done something wrong. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

"Well, Adrien is in your class, is he cute?" her father teased suddenly.

"Dad!" she laughed. "I guess so, but why do you care?"

"I need to know who's hanging around my daughter, of course! You're a beautiful young lady, I have to get ready to fight away all your would-be suitors." he grinned and took a plastic fork, as if to arm himself. Aurianne laughed.

"That's so weird! Nobody talks like that!" she balled up a napkin and threw it at his face. It bounced harmlessly off his forehead. He laughed. _This is weird, but like, a good weird._ He was a lot like her mom, more so than she remembered from his infrequent visits to the states during her childhood. He visibly relaxed, as if he was afraid she wouldn't get his sense of humor. "How was work?"

"It was alright. Typical day, fielding a billion calls from people who probably shouldn't have my contact information in the first place."

"Like who?"

"A lot of indie designers, really. They think for some reason that a PR rep can get them on the shoot schedule because it'll 'prove our loyalty to the purity of the craft', or something. They're never happy when I direct them to the editor in chief for a meeting."

"Wait, do you work for the magazine or the PR company?"

"The PR company. They leased me out to the magazine."

"Do you ever get to meet any of the models?" he shook his head.

"I meet with a lot of marketing directors, and some CEOs, typically."

"Do you like your job?" He paused thoughtfully.

"Yeah, I think so. It's a lot of psychology and social media."

They talked about his job for a while while they ate dinner. _Maybe living with dad will be okay?_ It almost felt like betraying her mom thinking that, but she shook the feeling off quickly. _I still miss you, mom_. _And everyone else back home._

"Alright, well I've got to work on homework. I've got a week to catch up with the unit." She stood and took her trash to throw out.

"Alright sweetie. I'll be in my office if you need me." he smiled and took his briefcase to his home office.

Aurianne closed the door to her room and flooded down on her bed with a big sigh. "Lunette, what do you think of my dad?" she zipped out from her hiding place.

"He seems nice enough, I guess. I don't really know him yet."

"I feel like I don't, either." she sat up cris-cross on the bed.

"You just need time to get to know each other again." Lunette was already unbraiding her hair.

"Why do you love braiding hair so much?"

"Cuz its fun, and _someone_ has to help you look cute."

"Hey, I'm cute!"

"Well _Duh_ , I wouldn't work with you otherwise!" Aurianne laughed. _So much sass in such a tiny body!_ "Anyway do your homework. We've got to meet Chat Noir and Ladybug at 8."

"Right!" she picked up her notebook and her pen and the copies that Adrien had made for her and got to work.

She finished the last page and looked up at the clock. "7:52! Let's go." she paused. "Last time I went out the front door I ended up leaving my key at home….." she glanced out her bedroom window. _We're three stories up….._ "Lunette, how fast can I transform?" The small white kwami floated over to her and looked out the window at the ground.

"Lets see. You've been doing this for how long, like a year? Maybe that fast."

"I need more than _maybe_ to jump out a three story window!" Lunette just shrugged. Aurianne sighed. "Fine. The front door it is." she put her ear to the door. It was quiet. She tiptoed her way to the front door and managed to slip outside. _I need a balcony. Note to self: include in the super hero starter pack._

"Lunette- ears up!"

This was always her favorite part- the rush of energy. It was unlike anything else she would ever encounter, she was sure of it. She felt unbreakable. The mask that appeared over her eyes gave her the best gift she could ask for- anonymity. She could almost _feel_ her anxieties melting away. It happened in 2 seconds, maybe less, but she relished every moment.

Chat Blanc stepped out of the shadows. Her hair was held back at the side by her miraculous, and her weapon- a specialized set of nunchucks- hung from her back.

"Alleyoop!" she laughed as she took to the rooftops. The Eiffel tower was easily spotted. _I'll give Paris this- the southeastern US doesn't have many rooftops like these!_ It was so easy getting from place to place this way. She felt like Spiderman if he had just moved from Kansas to New York City. She made her way towards the monument easily.

 _There's the tower! One big gap, let's do it!_ She took her nunchucks off her belt and twirled them, holding one and letting the other spin wildly by the inch long chain that connected the ends. She got a running start, leaped, and whipped her arm as hard as she could. One stick hurled towards the tower, the chain stretching immeasurably from one stick to the other across the gap. It hit metal and coiled around it.

"Haha! Whoooo!" she whooped as she swung across the gap. It was immature and loud and obnoxious and she didn't care! This was such a rush! _I HARDLY EVER got to do this in the states! This is fucking AWESOME!_

She landed on the side of the tower and pulled the second stick back to her. The chain retracted like magic and she briefly marveled at the tool's ability to cover seemingly infinite distances and shrink back to its normal size. _That's the abilities of the white cat miraculous for you._

It wasn't long before she made it to the top. Looking out over the sea of twinkling lights was relaxing. The ambient noises of the city merged to form a steady hum, with the occasional car horn managing to barely rise above it. The cool night air blew strands of hair loose from the fishtail braid her kwami had put it in, and she could feel the soft heat of the sun-warmed metal through her gloves. _The air up here in incredible, and the view…._ She took a deep breath as she leaned against the railing. Her eyelids drifted shut as she exhaled.

"Good evening, madame." a grinning voice came from behind her. She turned to see Chat Noir standing on the platform. She grinned too.

"Good evening, Chat Noir!"

"Ladybug should be here soon." she nodded. "You said you were new here, right? Is this your first time at the Eiffel Tower?" He took a spot on the railing next to her.

"Yeah, actually it is" she looked out over the city again. "It's a _miraculous_ view." Chat Noir snorted. "What, too cheesy?"

"Not even a little bit! Just wait till you hear my puns, I'll give you a _pun_ for your money!" He winked. _Geez, he's so obnoxious!_ She loved it.

"That was so bad!" she laughed. "like, a whole new level of horrible!" he laughed too.

A soft thud interrupted their conversation. Chat Blanc turned.

 _Wow, he really meant it when he said Ladybug._ The wielder was dressed in a red bodysuit with black spots, a matching mask, and dark _dark_ black hair pulled into two low pigtails that, in the twinkling lights, she swore had a blueish tint. A small disc rested on her hip. Her blue eyes shone intently.

"M'lady!" Chat Noir beamed as she landed.

"Chat! I got your message….." her eyes landed on Chat Blanc. "There's _another_ cat miraculous?" her voice dripped with incredulousness and doubt.

"I know, right? That's what I said!" she grinned and offered a hand. "Chat Blanc. It's a real pleasure to meet you, Ladybug." Ladybug gave a slightly nervous chuckle and shook her hand.

"When Chat said he met another miraculous user, I didn't believe him! And….another cat?"

"It's strange, I agree. I didn't even know there were other miraculous before I met Chat Noir." she admitted.

"Really?"

"You really must not be from around here, cuz we're kind of a big deal." Chat Noir stood by Ladybug and smirked, and put his hand on her shoulder. She cleared her throat and he moved his hand back to his side.

"People know about you?" _Back home, I hid from everyone, unless I had no choice. I thought vigilantes were illegal._

"Of course they know about us. We couldn't protect anyone from an akuma attack if they didn't." _What?_

"Akuma attack?" Her bewildered look definitely gave her away.

"There's a supervillain names Hawkmoth who releases small evil spirits that turn people into villains. They're called akumas." Chat Blanc's eyes widened.

"You guys fight supervillains?" _That's so cool!_

"We take down every akuma that he creates, and Ladybug purifies the akumas."

"-But we've never managed to catch Hawkmoth himself." Ladybug added, shaking her head. "Until we do, all of Paris is at risk."

"Wow…..Well, if you don't mind the intrusion of a newcomer, I can help." Chat Noir and Ladybug looked at each other.

"...If Chat Noir trusts you, then that's enough for me." she finally spoke, nodding. She broke into a grin. "So I guess that means you're the rookie!" Chat Blanc laughed.

"I'll catch up to you guys in no time!" _I know I'll be able to keep up with them, but I can tell Ladybug doesn't totally trust me._ It made sense. She had just shown up out of the blue looking like a picture of Chat Noir someone had inverted on photoshop. Noir himself only did because he'd seen her transform. She probably would've done the same thing in their shoes, but it still stung a little. A part of her took it personally. _I've just got to prove I'm trustworthy as soon as I can._ "So how do you guys do this? Do you have a regular patrol schedule?"

"Monday and Friday nights at 8pm." Ladybug confirmed. She must have seen Chat Blanc's puzzled expression because she added, "we're just too busy the rest of the time. But we'll always respond to an emergency."

"Of course," Chat Blanc nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

"In the meantime, why don't we show Chat Blanc around the city?" Chat Noir suggested.

"That's a good idea, that way she'll know where everything is in an emergency." Ladybug confirmed. Chat Blanc grinned.

"Then I leave myself in your capable hands." she folded her arms confidently.

They took her to the Seine, the Louvre, the square, and any other place they frequented.

Two hours later, she finally started to yawn.

"Ladybug, Chat Noir, thanks for the tour, it was amazing to meet you both, but I really need to go. Today's Monday, so no patrol until Friday, yeah?"

"Right!" Chat grinned.

"Awesome! See you guys then!" Chat Blanc waved as she ran to the edge of the roof and leapt out of sight.

Chat Noir waited till Chat Blanc was gone. "Ladybug, why did you lie about patrols?" Ladybug turned, a serious expression on her face.

"We have no idea where she came from, Chat." _Technically, that's not true,_ Chat thought with a twinge of guilt. "Remember Volpina? Or Copycat? She could be another imposter."

"Rena Rouge was okay," Chat Noir countered.

"That was different, it was a one time thing. For now I just think Wednesday nights should be just us. Until we know we can trust her." Chat Noir hesitated. _I trust her, but I can't explain why. And Ladybug needs to trust her too. If this how it has to go first, then I guess that's how we'll do it._

"Alright." Chat Noir finally agreed. "Just promise to give her a chance."

"I promise," Ladybug smiled.

"Excellent, my lady!" Chat Noir bowed. "Then I'll turn in for the night as well." He gave a sort of half salute, then leapt off the roof towards home. _I really hope Chat Blanc is the real thing and not another imposter._ He didn't see how it was possible. He _saw_ her transform right in front of him. _Unless she gives me a reason not to, I'll trust her,_ He decided even as he snuck into his bathroom, closed the window and detransformed.

"Plagg, what do you think about Chat Blanc?"

"I don't know, I've never met her kwami."

"But you've met Ladybug's?"

"Obviously! Geez. Where's my camembert?" Adrien sighed and tossed a piece to Plagg from a container in a desk drawer.

"Do you think she's a real miraculous user?"

"If I had to guess?" Adrien nodded. "Probably? We'll just have to see."

"You're so unhelpful," Adrien sighed. Oh well. Only time would tell, apparently.

Chat Blanc got back inside without losing her key this time. She hated hated detransforming, but she was exhausted.

"Lunette, Ears down." with a swirl of light,Chat Blanc gave way to Aurianne.

"Ice cream!" Lunette cheered as Aurianne flopped backwards onto her bed.

"uuugh…. Alright, hang on." the fatigue was clear in her expression.

"This is what you get for not taking your meds." Lunette chided.

"I know, I know, I was just so nervous about school I forgot. I won't forget tomorrow."

"You better not. Don't forget about lunch either!"

"Right, right." Aurianne stood and yawned. "Cmon, before I'm too tired to move." Lunette eagerly zipped over as Aurianne opened her bedroom door. She tried to be quiet in case her dad was still asleep. She dug through the freezer looking for ice cream, shivering a little. "How about an ice cream sandwich?"

"If you take the cookie part off," Lunette replied. She pulled one out just as she heard a door open. Lunette hid behind her.

"Aurianne?" Her dad walked into the kitchen in a tshirt and lounge pants.

"Hey dad."

"Shouldn't you be asleep?"

"Its like 10:30…. I'm not usually asleep until 11."

"Oh." he got a bowl and a box of cereal. " Take your meds already?"

"Yep, took them at 8."

"Have your housekey?"

"In my bag."

"Excellent!" he smiled as he poured the milk. "I see you also are a midnight snack person. Careful with so much sugar before bed."

"It helps my meds work," she said. _I guess that's not a total lie? Food does help._

"I don't think that much sugar is going to help you sleep, but hey, I can't really talk." he chuckled and took a bite of cereal. "Alright, I'm gonna go wrap up what I'm working on then go to bed. Goodnight," he smiled as he headed back to this office.

"Alright Lunette, he's gone."

"Did you get the ice cream?" she asked impatiently as she zipped out from her hiding place.

"Yep! Here you go." Lunette grabbed the ice cream sandwich that was missing its top half of cookie sandwich and started eating the ice cream off the top. She purred happily and Aurianne scratched her tiny head. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Be boring," Lunette winked, not missing a beat. Aurianne laughed. _Her confidence makes me a better person._ No matter where she was, Lunette would always be her home.

Aurianne blinked the sun out of her eyes. _Walking to school kinda sucks._ Sure there wasn't any traffic to worry about, but she couldn't sleep on the way.

"Good morning!" she heard someone yell as she approached the stairs to the school. She turned.

"Hey Adrien! Hey Nino!" she smiled and waited for them to catch up.

"Sup, Aurianne?" Nino grinned.

"Here, I brought you something!" Adrien smiled as he held out a to go cup.

"What's this?" she took the warm cup.

"Hazelnut latte. I took a guess," he shrugged. "Do you like it?" Aurianne took a sip. It burned her tongue a little, but it was sweet and foamy with an earthy, nutty flavor.

"Oh my God, that's so good!" she sighed with a smile. "You're my new best friend!" Adrien laughed.

"So, why the coffee?" Nino wondered aloud even as Adrien casually sipped a cup of his own. _Okay, I definitely see it now._ She turned to answer Nino and caught a glimpse of Adrien as he walked next to them. The breeze was blowing his hair back just a little, one hand was tucked casually into a pocket, and the other held the coffee cup he was currently drinking from. _He looks like a walking Starbucks commercial….his face is flawless._ Adrien glanced at Aurianne and raised an eyebrow.

"I don't mind Nino knowing." she smiled. "I have narcolepsy so I'm constantly tired. I usually don't tell a lot of people, but I told Adrien so I don't mind telling you too. Just please don't go around talking about it," she added.

"No worries, I won't say a thing." he replied.

"Thanks!" Aurianne smiled as she took another sip. _These guys are super nice. Why was I so worried?_

"Adrikiiiiins!" a shrill voice came up from behind them, fast approaching, as a yellow blur raced past her and tacked Adrien. He struggled to maintain his balance as her caught her. "Good morning, Adrikins! I missed you _so_ much!" she threw her arms around his neck and Adrien struggled valiantly to untangle himself without being rude. _Oh right. That's why._

"Good morning, Chloe," he said politely while slowly removing her hands from his shoulders.

"You brought coffee! Oh that's so sweet Adrikins, which one's mine?"

"Oh, you drink coffee? I can bring you one next time if you want."

"What are you talking about, this is mine right?" She reached for Aurianne's cup. Aurianne pulled her cup closer.

"Oh, um, Chloe, I'm really sorry, but this one is mine. I'd give it to you but I already drank out if it so…." Chloe wrinkled her nose is disgust.

"Eww, she drank my coffee." Chloe tossed her hair. "But I'm in a good mood, so I'm not mad. It just means we'll have to get a coffee after school, Adrikins!" she giggled and clung to Adrien's arm. Aurianne felt her cheeks heat up. _I didnt do anything wrong! Why am I the one feeling bad?_ Adrien slowly pried her off.

"I actually brought that one for Aurianne, but next time I can bring you one too." he smiled. "cmon, we're gonna be late!" Adrien started walking up the school steps. Chloe hung back a step to turn and give Aurianne a _death glare_. Aurianne shivered. _With this coffee I am marked for death, apparently._ She looked around nervously only to catch Marinette hiding behind Alya, staring at Adrien as he walked away. _Oh she definitely has a thing for Adrien._ The staring was a little creepy, she decided. Marinette suddenly turned to look at Aurianne. It wasn't a cold glare of disdain like Chloe's, but not very friendly either. She quickly looked away and tried to shake off the feeling of being out of place as she walked into the school behind Adrien and Nino. _At least the coffee is warm and familiar feeling._ She smiled a little as she sipped it, trying to relax a little.

"Wanna sit by me again?" Adrien suggested as she walked in.

"Actually, I thought I'd sit next to someone else, try to get to know the class and all."

"Good idea! Hey Alya," Nino yelled. "Aurianne can sit with you guys, right?"

"Sure thing!" Alya waved her over with a smile. A bit of relief washed over her again.

"Thanks," she smiled as Alya offered her seat.

"Marinette is the class representative, so if you have any questions I'm sure she can help."

"I'll do my best," Marinette chuckled. Aurianne smiled.

"I'm sure you do a fantastic job! Everyone seems to really love you." _She seems really nice, I want her to like me._ Marinette smiled. "So um, do you take a lot of notes, or-"

A commotion in the hallway suddenly interrupted her train of thought. The whole class looked up. The teacher hadn't come in yet,so the door was still open. Marinette frowned a little and stood, walking hesitantly to the open door. She poked her head around the corner slowly-

"UUUUGHH, hurry UP and just TELL US what's happening!" Chloe snapped. Marinette jumped in surprise and stumbled. Chloe shoved her out of the way. _Geez, does Chloe have any redeeming qualities?_ "One of the teachers has been akumatized." She rolled her eyes and sat back down. "So can we, like, go home?"

"Wait, isn't this bad?" Aurianne looked around at Marinette, Alya, and then the rest of the class.

"I-I should go see what's happening!" Marinette stuttered to everyone. "Since I'm the cass rep!" And then she ran out.

"I'm gonna go look to see if anyone needs help!" Adrien smiled and hurried out too. Everyone stared.

"H-hey Alya, I'm gonna go to the bathroom before class actually starts…." Alya shrugged.

"I guess, but hurry back or you'll miss all the excitement!" Alya stood and started hurrying towards the nearest window to try and catch a video on her phone. Aurianne stepped out into the hall, where students were starting to push their way out of the classrooms to figure out what was going on. _I need to get out without being noticed._ Luckily nobody was paying attention to her. She quietly pushed her way to the back and down the stairs, then ran behind the building as fast as she could as soon as nobody was looking.

"Lunette! Ears up!" the transformation was complete in a fraction of a second.

"Time to…..shit!" _Time to what?! How do I stop an akuma?_

 **She looked around frantically.**

 _Where's Chat Noir and Ladybug?!_


End file.
